Gu Ning spent 2 iron ingots to craft an iron pot, then used 4 pieces of wood to build a bed against the cabin wall. Noticing the lack of bedding, he checked the trading post but found only a blueprint:
Bedding Set x1
Cost: 40 white stones
White stones were the primary currency, essential for buying tech cards in the shop. The price seemed steep, so Gu Ning messaged the seller via the chat channel.
"10 white stones for your blueprint?" he bargained aggressively, leaving room for negotiation.
The response took him by surprise.
"Holy crap! I must've done something amazing in my past life for you to message me, boss!" cried Li Chong, a level 1 player in a floral vest and shorts, fishing in the rain on a tiny wooden raft. His first thought: I need to cling to this boss! He replied instantly.
Gu Ning sighed at the excitement. Too famous for my own good.
"Cut the chatter. I want the blueprint. Deal or not?"
"On it! Modifying the trade to specify you now!" Li Chong replied.
Li Chong had a plan. To gain favor, he'd test Gu Ning's character. The blueprint had sat unsold for a day—offering it as a gesture might secure a powerful ally.
Gu Ning stared at the revised trade: 1 wood for the blueprint. Is this guy insane? But he refused to take advantage, risking his reputation for a tiny gain. "Change the price to 10 white stones. Let's keep this professional."
Li Chong grinned. A principled boss—perfect. "Consider the blueprint a gift for a friend slot, boss!"
Before Gu Ning could reply, another message popped up: "I have something else to sell. Can you offer more?"
"What is it?"
A photo appeared:
Talent Quality Upgrade Orb (Green): Low chance to slightly improve talent quality.
Jackpot! Gu Ning needed this. "Name your price."
Li Chong hesitated, then said, "300 white stones." The orb was a rare day-one drop, but recent announcements and the drainage tech blueprint made him uneasy—better sell now.
"Too steep. 150," Gu Ning countered. "It's only a low chance, after all."
Li Chong relented, prioritizing goodwill. "Deal. Keep the blueprint as a gift. Just let me add you as a friend—I'll save good items for you, boss."
Gu Ning agreed but sent 160 white stones anyway, covering the blueprint's value. He accepted Li Chong's friend request.
Immediately, he used the orb:
Using Talent Quality Upgrade Orb…
Success! Talent upgraded.
Gu Ning cheered at the notification. His talent now read:
Variable (Epic): Randomly improves any item's quality by at least one rank, with positive changes. 3 uses daily.
*Now even white items become green guaranteed. Epic items could hit legendary!*可惜 (Too bad) epic materials were still rare.
He checked the player count: 9,011—nearly 1,000 deaths. Can't save everyone. Focus on survival.
Next, he bought bedding materials (20 cotton, 5 cloth) from the market, ignoring questionable listings (e.g., "intimacy safety gear"), and crafted a white bedding set. The quilt was large enough for two…
That afternoon, he stocked up on essentials—cooking oil, salt, chili peppers (3 wood for a tiny batch)—and waited for nightfall.
Using flint, he lit茅草 (thatch) in the stove, stir-frying fish with chili peppers. He crafted bowls and chopsticks, teaching Windsor how to use them.
After dinner, he ordered Xiao Lan to resume towing the ship. At 10 meters long, the whale still managed the boat's primitive "deckless" design, but Gu Ning groaned at the thought of upgrading to a 100-meter wooden raft.
As the ship glided into the night, he retreated to his cabin, satisfied with the day's progress—and the warm, shared quilt waiting for him.